press releases
Agreement Ensures USAID Support For Balochistan Assembly
05/24/2005
Quetta – Jamal Shah Kakar, the Speaker of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly, and U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker signed a memorandum of understanding here today that formalizes cooperation between the Provincial Assembly and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
USAID is preparing to launch an $8 million program to build the capacity of all four provincial assemblies as well as the National Assembly and Senate. The memorandum of understanding sets forth the terms of the joint-USAID/Parliamentary cooperation.
The agreement “signifies the Balochistan Provincial Assembly’s commitment to bettering the professionalism of its staff and members to carry out the business of the Assembly,” said Ambassador Crocker. “Under the project, a training center will be instituted that will provide orientation to parliamentarians in the provincial and national legislatures to help them work through the rules of business, to develop their committee systems, and become acquainted with other topics that members feel are required to improve the way the business of government is conducted.”
Similar memoranda of understanding will be signed between the United States and the other provincial assemblies and the national parliament in the coming weeks. Balochistan, however, has the distinction of being the first. “Although Balochistan is the least populous of Pakistan’s four provinces, it is no less important,” the Ambassador noted.
USAID’s Legislative Strengthening Program is one of several USAID programs that aim to help strengthen Pakistan’s democratic institutions. In organizing projects to support electoral reform, strengthen political parties and advance devolution, USAID is helping Pakistan to improve the transparency, accountability and competency of its overall governance setup.